Okay, before we go any further here, this is another chapter which has the infamous Payne Janae in it. Now be warned, there is (Oh Lordy) a heterosexual scene in here. Yeah, a guy and a girl getting it on. This is odd, because it was primarily a slash fic. Now if you're expecting perfect sex, lots of oohs and ahhs and a full on description of everything going on, guess what? Not going to happen. I am not writing this to entertain myself and, in essence, make you enjoy it. I read a great piece of advice once that said don't put sex into fics unless you have to, and don't tell everything. You guys don't really want to know everything do you? This may sound odd, but the characters…well, even though I don't like some of the Zoids characters, I respect them in a sense…I don't want to hurt them. It would seem wrong because they're not mine. But at the same time, I needed to give Rhyss a reason to help Hiltz, and explain her anger and possession over someone else…like Fiona. I've never written a girl/girl thing before, I don't exactly enjoy it…even if a few of my friends probably would! So once again *smiles shyly* be gentle with me and understand that I have an overactive imagination and reading half of these fics on ff.net…well…we all know where THAT leads…

*Sings Ben Lee's new track 'Dirty mind'* A dream is a weapon…and I dream about you every day…Come for the danger, stay for the stranger, but I'm never gonna give it away…You'll never clean my dirty mind…You'll never clean my dirty mind… ;p

Chapter 9: Reaper by name, Reaper by nature

He arose from the rumpled sheets, untangling himself from the limbs of the female he'd bedded with that evening. She slept placidly, in a peace that Payne had not felt for a very long time.

He was upset over losing Prozen so easily to those renegade humans. It was easy to forget that they were such impressionable creatures with little will power. A Hertz could tap into their wells of pity and draw forth unbelievable loyalty. Or at least, that's what the majority of his sect thought. Payne had studied the species long and hard, every available piece of information he had eagerly devoured to further his knowledge. Was it not said: Know your enemy?

Prozen had the appearance of a twenty something male, and chronologically he was 38 years of age, but in reality, he was still an infant in the terms of power. And the natural response of many a creature in the system was to protect something young. Helpless. Kaiser managed to pull up enough shields to stop people doing that…okay, not so much the emperor, damn him to hell, and Prozen was gently twisted and placed in the position Payne had scribed for him centuries ago.

"Payne…" Came the soft voice from the bed.

He bared his teeth, angered at his thoughts being derailed, but the anger was short-lived as a hand caressed his lower back and moved around to front.

"Not now, Ina." He growled.

"Are you still worried about that little Hertz?"

"Of course I am." He faced her, sullen, angry.

Ina slid back onto the bed again and smiled at him invitingly. "Then we shall talk, yes?"

"No. I have some things to do. Wait here."

Ina sighed and curled up on the pillows, her amber gaze piercing into his back as he left with a look of disgust. She was but one of many, you must know, and yes, she knew it too.

Payne pulled on some clothing and padded down the corridor, the door hissing shut behind him, eager to make his way down to the temporary barracks to roll another pretty face. The low flames that lit the hall and thick carpet were comforting to his throbbing head.

The base in itself was the country manor belonging to their prey for most of his life in Guylos, an estate passed onto him by his guardian, the dead emperor of Guylos. They had moved from the previous base snuggled deep in one of the supposed 'ruins' in the Guylos territory, and still functioned even if they had been sleeping for many centuries in wait of their prey. And beneath the base itself was an immense warehouse, filled with the survivors, all peacefully dreaming, waiting for the day when they would be free to walk again. That day, Payne felt, would be soon. They'd worked so damn hard do kill every last one of those blasted Hertz creatures. They were the worst. So calm and placid, so damn nice. They'd still tried negotiating when their numbers were almost completely decimated.

In fact, it had been Payne himself who had wiped out Prozen's particular bloodline. As soon as he heard of the lengths they were going to for their survival, the warning bells in his mind went off. Payne wasn't paranoid – he knew everyone was out to get him. It was the bastard's mother who had been particularly fun to kill, even if she hadn't screamed when he began. Just sat there calmly while he did the job. She'd approached the Reaper base in a Zoid called a Berserk Fury, one of the new models that the Zoidian scientists hadn't been able to replicate yet, a very sexy female with a waterfall of hair to her waist. She had no marks, she wasn't a powerhouse like her husband; but like the rest of the underground dwelling race she had white hair and crimson eyes. Why evolve pigment when you never go outside anyway? Besides the point, Faen Drachnia had come asking for peace. Her people would bury themselves deeper into the earth, and the rest of the people…Delnia, Aethers, Forchan, Nirin, countless subspecies he didn't give a damn about…would retreat too. The Zoidians would never know they were there. This was, apparently, their last chance, and if they didn't reach an agreement, then the Zoidians would be besieged by a new and powerful force. The odd and interesting thing was that for a woman who had just given birth to a son, she seemed remarkably energetic and thin. Payne knew that wasn't normal…

But he'd brought her in, only a soldier at this time, those higher up were busy planning the Hunts to find and capture the ever-elusive Rare Hertz to help build new cores. He'd sat her down. Fished for information, even if he didn't find out all that much apart from the fact that she now had a son. Then he'd tied her to the chair and counted how many times you could cut a Hertz before it finally bled to death. And then, as a final insult to her stupid race, he'd cut her head off and sent it back in the Zoid. The Zoid in itself had been shocked into submission, after it had taken out half the Zoids on the base.

They'd secured ZoidEVE. What more could they possibly fear?

And then…then…he shook with rage at the memory…five years later that little fucker managed to get in. Silver Drachnia. A fucking Rare Hertz who had disobeyed his entire species to get back at the killers of his wife. He'd actually merged with EVE. This was, as everyone knew, the ultimate fate of Alisi Lynette, a Zoidian born to be their savior. It was gruesome as to what happened next, but the DeathSaurer appeared, and stomped out over the world killing every Zoidian it could find. People tried to tame it, people tried to run from it. But it all remained the same; the ultimate weapon on Zi did its grisly job. Payne had watched as the most powerful Reapers waited for the Rare Hertz to reappear, and then brought before the council.

Silver was one of the most powerful Rare Hertz to be born. It seemed that the more the Zoidians killed them off, the intent on survival his people became, and to their horror he was probably one of the last – he was definitely one of the most powerful and protected-

But shouldn't his wife have been the one most protected with such a young son?

And the worst insult of all? Silver had taken out his girlfriend of that time, reduced her to a bloody stain on the grating. This wasn't just a species thing, this was personal.

The memory of the Rare Hertz bought before the council, his short wavy hair now matted with blood, snarling like an animal still made him angry. It had taken three of the best to tether him to his place as they passed judgement and submitted his body to genetic testing and dissection. He'd clung on to life for a few days but had finally given up the ghost whispering about something called Requiem, and his son, Winter.

They'd caught the boy. It took a few months and many, many lives…but finally they had secured him and shipped him to the holding facility to try and see what made a Rare Hertz tick. Of course, he met Hiltz there.

Payne punched the wall in frustration.

Hiltz. The other fucking piece to the fucking puzzle. He turned a right, ignoring the barracks. He was fighting hard, that one. If he didn't submit soon, the Mern would die in him and be digested, all to the natural order of things. Infect him again? Risk killing him?

How the hell could he get Hiltz to submit?

After tramping past vast rooms and down corridors, he finally reached the makeshift Cell, one of the smaller rooms that was still to big for his liking, the windows nailed shut, and a barred door where the thick wooden one had been before. And the stupid bastard was sleeping on the floor.

"You fucking moron." Payne hissed through the bars and then punched the door.

He wouldn't submit because of Prozen. He had to submit because of Prozen. What the hell could he do? Beat Hiltz into submission? No, damage the goods, and the buyer will be suspicious… No, Hiltz drew his strength and will to fight from his desire to serve. And you put them together at the right time and without…supervision…you got an adult Rare Hertz. A fully-fledged adult. A fully-fledged, pissed off adult who knew what the fuck was going on, and was quite happy to tear a place apart. He'd be young, but terribly powerful, seeing as he was the only one left. And if it wasn't Hiltz…it'd be that blond imperial. That…Shubaltz.

He'd do it because there'd be no one else. He'd do it to protect the little bastard.

Either way, they were seriously fucked.

Unless the Hertz was deflowered before his time…broken on the spear of an overzealous lover…or a Reaper.

Payne snarled down at Hiltz again, and then left to return to the barracks, wondering if Rhyss had returned. She'd had to check on Kaiser and see how it was, along with Lynette herself. Hopefully things would turn out okay for them…

Ah…

There was a living room close by and yes, here was Rhyss, looking flustered and nursing a cup of coffee brewed from one of the kitchens staring out of the plated glass windows, to the darkness shrouded gardens beyond.

"Hello Rhyss."

"Payne!" She almost dropped the cup. "I didn't sense you!"

"I know, I've been masking myself from the others. How are you?"

"I've been better."

"Your friend is sleeping well, even if he has a strange taste in beds."

"And lovers?" She tried to joke.

"Indeed." Payne's smile was dark. Something else was on his mind now, and it certainly didn't include anything other than the frail female in front of him and a little idea. "Rhyss?"

"Yes?"

His smile tugged wider and he put his hands on his hips. "Would you object if I used you as stress relief?"

"What?"

Payne slid down next to her, took the cup from her fingers and pressed her against the cushions. "Glad to see you got out of that response suit. I know the Zoids prefer people to wear those damn things, but you always turn me on when you swing your ass in my direction." He slid a hand up her shirt and fondled a breast, pleased to find she wasn't wearing a bra. Bras were something of a human invention, Zoidians had never bothered.

Not that it mattered of course, with Rhyss.

"Payne!" She gasped, her cheeks going red.

"Look, don't argue. You used to like me before all this started. You were my little slut. My whore. You'd go down on me in my Zoid while I was addressing the people in charge. Why do you think this is wrong?"

"But I…! You…! You were with Ina!"

"Fuck Ina. In fact, why don't I take you up to my quarters and the three of us can do it to until the sun comes up. I'm the boss around here, darling, and you know it."

She sighed and pouted. Gods she was sexy. That human Raven she had told him about must have been gay if he didn't look her up and down and get into her pants. But for old time's sake, he wanted her willing. Rape wasn't an option because Rhyss was a powerful Reaper in her own right…so…instead…

Her eyes fluttered close as he dove deep into her mind and found the threads of thought that lead to desire, happy to find her lips pressed against his and her legs around his waist.

"That's better." He growled.

"Take me now, you bastard." She gasped. "You always go to far…I feel like I'm gonna…ohh…!" Her eyes shut tightly and he felt her hips buck against his, the crotch of her pants dampening with her need for him. Payne laughed, kicking the table away and spilling the coffee onto the floor, then took her other breast in his mouth and started to suckle, hard. His free hand slid up her thigh to push the waistband of her trousers, fumble with it, and pull it down along with her underwear. He hungrily caught her mouth again and undid his robe.

"Get ready, my dirty little girl." He growled. "Daddy wants a little joy in his life…"

Rhyss struggled but gave up and stiffened as he entered her, her eyes squeezed shut with the sudden pain and intrusion. Sliding his hands down her body, he grasped her hips and started to thrust, delighting in the feel of something so tight and good around his beloved member. Mindless really. Everything shut down in his head while he dove deeper and deeper into her velvet abyss, grunting and sweating on top of her like an animal.

Because it wasn't Rhyss who was beneath him. In his mind's eye it flickered from Hiltz to Prozen, driving him insane with anger. At last he screamed, and Rhyss' cry was not hers but someone else's. He didn't care that he'd come first, that didn't matter. What mattered was that now, as he looked up and over his shoulder for the source of the cry and into the shocked face of Ina, he now had his plan. He had his perfect solution to the problem at hand. Ina's brilliant eyes were filled with tears – knowing was one thing, catching him in the act was another – and ran away, her dark green hair flowing around her face, enough for Payne to lick his lips with the hunger again. His sexual prowess was legendary among the Reapers, and like the leader he was, he had all the girls to himself. He turned back to the crumpled Rhyss beneath him.

"Enjoy that, slut?"

"Fuck you." Rhyss said, tiredly. It wasn't the response he was looking for and his eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, I remember why you and I didn't pair off. Your lack of enthusiasm. Well fine. Be that way." He stood up, tugged his robe around him again and went to leave. He then turned around and fixed his subordinate with a harsh glare. "Clean yourself up and clean up that fucking mess down there." He pointed at the now cold coffee.

Then, with a smile, all to himself, he settled into the warm glow of the Mern within him and went to chase down Ina for some more stress relief.

He'd see to Hiltz tomorrow. Then he'd think harder about his little plan.

~ to be continued.

I say again. I took no pleasure in writing the sex scene. I'm actually kinda embarrassed. Writing two guys is so much easier *blushes* but then again, writing it in a family room is no mean feat! I tried using Pnau to help me along, but that didn't work (Pnau feels like porn music. I'm not kidding, but it's really good) but I eventually turned to the copy of Vast's first album, in particular the track Pretty when you cry. It seemed to fit.

One last thing I might add is that I'm sorry I keep adding in the flash backs and all. I have the whole species thing worked out and everything, and I think you can understand how they react to stuff better if you knew what happened to them.